Tubular dosing container

ABSTRACT

The present disclosure relates to a dosing container for releasing, in a controlled manner, pasty or viscous product by manually pressing on the container, comprising a closable removal opening, wherein the container comprises two side walls which are arranged substantially parallel to each other and which are connected to each other by two face-side walls, which comprise at least one side fold through which the face-side walls ( 3 ) are divided into at least two face-side wall segments which can be laid against each other and/or against the inside of the side walls, wherein the side walls abut each other at an end at a distance from the removal opening and are pressed inward, wherein the removal opening is provided on a container head extending substantially at right angles with respect to the side walls and/or the face-side walls. With the present disclosure, a dosing container having improved restoring properties is specified. For this purpose, it is proposed that the dosing container is formed from a film material which is connected to a shoulder element produced by means of injection moulding and which forms the container head.

This invention relates to a dosing container for the discharge of pastyor viscous product by manual pressure on the container. Containers ofthis nature are also known as tubes which can be emptied by pressing onthe outside.

Appropriate tubes are normally used for toothpaste, tomato purée,mayonnaise, mustard and similar products. Generic tubes may consist of ametal foil. Toothpaste tubes are also known which are made from a filmmaterial which is initially circumferentially formed as a tube and thetube is closed off by welding at the end remote from the dischargeopening. At the oppositely situated end a container head is provided,forming the removal opening.

With tubular containers of the generic type one of the problems isobtaining the most complete discharge of the tube possible. Inparticular with tubes of plastic material there is also the problem thatalthough the content can be discharged by pressing against the externalsurface of the tube, release inevitably leads to the return of the tubeto its original shape and therefore to air being drawn into the tube.

Not all products which are sold in tubular dosing containers cantolerate lengthy storage in an atmosphere containing oxygen. Forexample, with the inclusion of oxygen mustard shows a negative sensorychange and accelerated ageing.

On the other hand it can also be desirable to produce a certain suctioninto the tube through releasing the tube so that product located at theremoval opening is not discharged unintentionally. The dosing containershould have a characteristic of this nature in particular if exactdosing of the contents of the container is desired.

Principally, there is the requirement of manufacturing dosing containersas economically as possible. In this respect a high degree of automationand the widest possible standardisation of the dosing container isrequired for different applications. On the other hand, in practicevarious requirements are placed on dosing containers which run contraryto standardisation, in particular to the manufacture of dosingcontainers.

The object of the invention is to provide a dosing container which is asadaptable as possible with regard to the problems described above.

To solve this problem a dosing container having the features of Claim 1is provided by this invention.

The invention assumes a dosing container as is known for example fromDE-A-24 60 440. This state of the art discloses a dosing containercomprising two side walls which are arranged substantially parallel toeach other and which are connected and spaced to each other by twoface-side walls. The face-side walls have at least one side fold throughwhich the face-side walls are divided into at least two face-side wallsegments which can be laid against each other and/or against the insideof the side walls. The side walls are joined together and abut eachother at an end remote from the removal opening. The face-side wallsegments project inwards. Furthermore, a removal opening is provided ona container head extending substantially at right angles with respect tothe side walls.

The prior-art dosing container can be emptied as far as possible due toits container shape, because with increasing emptying the face wallsegments can be laid next to one another or inside on the oppositelysituated side walls, which leads to the dosing container being capableof being almost fully emptied. The prior-art dosing container howeverhas no restoring properties which prevent air from being drawn in nordoes it promote precise dosing when product is discharged from thedosing container.

Here, the present invention provides a remedy in that it suggests thatthe dosing container is formed from a film material which is joined to ashoulder element. The shoulder element surrounds the removal opening andcreates predefined functional surfaces on the otherwise flatly formedfilm material, which normally at the most has been formed by folding andwelding (longitudinal welded seam) the layers against one another toform an accommodating tube. The film material can be closed off at oneend by welding (transverse welded seam). At the end situated oppositethis weld the shoulder element is normally located which surrounds theremoval opening. The shoulder element can form a container head whichextends substantially at right angles to the side walls and forms aremoval opening which is of small cross-section compared to thecontainer cross-section at this end. Alternatively the shoulder elementcan also have functional surfaces for attaching a cap or an applicatorat the approximate height of the film material, i.e. in the region ofthe external circumference of the formed film material. Functionalsurfaces of this nature can be formed, for example, by a contourprovided on the external circumferential surface of the shoulder elementand against which a container head, an applicator or a container coveris secured. The joint can, for example, be made by bonding a cap orapplicator to the external contour.

Since the shoulder element is formed by means of injection moulding,very complicated modules can be formed with it and then joined to thefilm material. In this way a container meeting individual requirementscan be relatively economically manufactured. The major part of thecontainer, i.e. in particular the container volume, is here madeavailable using the relatively economical film material, whereas onlythe shoulder element is formed by means of injection moulding from highquality plastic, which is in any case however, thick-walled compared tothe film material.

For the purposes of the invention a plastic film is in particular a filmwith a thickness of less than 1 mm, preferably less than 0.1 mm.Preferably a co-extruded film with various layers is used. The filmnormally consists exclusively of polyolefins such as PE, PP, PVC or PS.

In the embodiment of this shoulder element together with the containerhead, due to its geometrical embodiment, a certain restorationcapability can be imparted to the film material which initially exhibitsno predetermined elasticity. In this way the film material of the dosingcontainer can be formed elastically in a predetermined manner when theshoulder element is moulded on. It is possible to preform the filmmaterial when the shoulder element is attached such that the side wallscontact one another centrally and the face wall segments abut oneanother or at the edge on the internal surface of the side walls. Whenthe film material is joined to the shoulder element in this position atendency is impressed on the film material to deform inwards when thedosing container is increasingly emptied. The film material cantherefore promote a discharge of product out of the dosing container,but, after discharge of material from the dosing container, it can inall cases prevent this elastic restoration and the drawing in of air.

In a similar manner the film material can be held in a bloated state onattaching the shoulder element. When the shoulder element is joined ontothe film material, this bloated, i.e. relatively large volumetric,orientation of the film material is predefined. Accordingly the dosingcontainer has a tendency to form a relatively large internal volume.After the discharge of the product the side walls move away from oneanother elastically so that product located in the region of the removalopening is drawn inwards into the dosing container.

This dosing container according to the invention has two oppositelysituated side walls which often form the main side walls of the dosingcontainer and converge slightly and in fact from the end with theremoval opening to the opposite end. The side walls come together atthis end. In the side view an appropriately embodied container can havea wedge-shaped form. However, an essentially rectangular embodiment isalso conceivable, whereby the side walls are formed to converge on oneanother only in the rear end section at the closure side of the dosingcontainer.

The container according to the invention also has face-side walls whichjoin together the oppositely situated side walls. These face-side wallsare divided into at least two face-side wall segments, between which aside fold is located and which can be laid against each other and/or theinner side of the side walls. The particular embodiment of the twoface-side wall segments accordingly leads to the possibility of thedosing container folding up like a bellows in the region of the facesides. In this connection the face-side wall segments initially approachone another. With the embodiment normally realised in which theface-side wall segments are pressed inwards and the side fold is locatedwithin an envelope area which envelopes the circumference of the dosingcontainer in a transverse cross-section, the face-side wall segmentsapproach one another with their outer surface with increased emptying ofthe dosing container, whereas the inner surfaces of the respectiveface-side wall segments move increasingly towards the inner surfaces ofthe side walls. This approach can be supported by suitable tensing ofthe material forming the container so that the dosing container has atendency to reduce its volume automatically due to the adjacentlylocated face-side wall segments.

With increasing emptying of the dosing container the container is foldedup in the region of its face-side walls by means of which the innersurfaces of the side walls abut one another and the filling volumereduces continuously. This restoration movement into a folded up statecan also be promoted by suitable shaping of the face-side wall segmentsand on the joining lines between these segments and the side walls sothat the dosing container closes increasingly from the rear closed endin the direction of the removal opening due to folding up.

The dosing container according to the invention is mainly formed from afilm material and preferably exclusively from plastic. This filmmaterial can for example be manufactured by injection moulding,blow-moulding or preferably by longitudinal welding and folding of a fedfilm web. The film material can be formed multi-layered for formingbarrier layers, in particular for the case in which foodstuffs are to beaccommodated in the dosing container. The barrier layers prevent theingress of oxygen and/or UV radiation into the container. The filmmaterial and the shoulder element can be joined by means of moulding on,welding or adhesive bonding.

With regard to good restoration properties of the dosing container,according to a preferred embodiment of the invention it is suggestedthat stiffening ribs are formed on the side walls. These stiffening ribsare formed such that they improve the restoration of the container tothe original state, i.e. the state which an unfilled container wouldassume with the removal opening open. The stiffening ribs are preferablyformed in the longitudinal direction and on the outer side of thecontainer. It has proven expedient to provide two stiffening ribs oneach side wall and in fact at the edge. Therefore, appropriatestiffening ribs are preferably formed in the region of each edgeextending in the longitudinal direction of the dosing container. Thestiffening ribs as such can also be essential to the invention, i.e.characterising the invention together with the pre-characterisingfeatures.

In principle it should be noted here that all functional elements,preferably formed together with the shoulder element in the course ofinjection moulding, can be provided on the inner side of the dosingcontainer so that it initially gives the impression of a normal tubepackage. It is only in use that the functional elements of the dosingcontainer, which provide the special restoration properties of the tube,become noticeable to the user.

As with the shoulder element, the stiffening ribs can be joined to thefilm material by means of injection moulding or by means of welding.Preferably the stiffening ribs and the shoulder element are formed onthe film material in the same working step.

With regard to the fact that on the end of the film material remote fromthe removal opening the film material is normally welded together toclose off the container and is optionally formed thickened to form alug, according to a further preferred embodiment of the invention it issuggested that the stiffening ribs are allowed to open out at their endsremote from the removal opening into a container reinforcement whichextends transversely to the longitudinal direction of the container. Ahole, formed in this container reinforcement or surrounded by thiscontainer reinforcement, normally penetrates the lug. This hole can beused to suspend the dosing container and be penetrated by a rod whichholds a plurality of dosing containers suspended.

According to a further preferred embodiment of the invention a cover,which is formed in one part with the shoulder element and connected toit by a film hinge, is provided to close the container head. This aspectas such may be essential to the invention. The stated solution ischaracterised apart from the prior art in that the cover is provided inone part with the shoulder element which in turn is joined in one pieceto the film material of the container by overmoulding or welding. In thestate of the art normally the container is formed together with thecontainer head in the course of injection moulding. On this firstcomponent a second component is fitted which forms the cover and apivotable cover base which is joined to the cover and can be connectedto the container head.

With regard to easy handling of the dosing container according to theinvention, according to a further preferred embodiment of the inventionit is suggested that stiffening grip elements reinforcing the filmmaterial are formed on both side walls at the container head end. Thesegrip elements extend for example over approx. 5 to 25% of thelongitudinal extension of the film material and are normally formed wheninjection moulding the shoulder element. The grip elements are normallyjoined to the film material on the side walls. Normally the joint ismade over the full area so that the movement of the grip elements isdirectly transferred to the film material. The grip elements areparticularly preferably supported pivotable about a pivot axis whichruns parallel to a joining edge of the side wall and container head. Thegrip elements can accordingly be pivoted essentially in the region ofthe front edge of the container head. The grip elements not only providestiffening of the film material, but rather impart a certain tendencyfor the film material to return to its original shape. Here, the gripelements can act on the film material such that the dosing container isrestored to a large initial volume. Just as well, the grip elements canpromote automatic collapsing of the dosing container.

The present invention offers the possibility of forming initiallyfunctional elements of the container or functional elements which can beprovided for use with the container or its content as part of theinjection moulded shoulder element. Such functional elements can just aswell be plugged onto a unit at the end consisting of the shoulderelement and film material which for example also comprises the containercap. Here there is the possibility of plugging on or welding on thefurther functional elements. Here consideration is especially given to ajoint by means of a predetermined breaking point which is designed suchthat a functional element, which is provided for use with the containercontent, can be released by manual shearing off.

According to a preferred further development the grip elements areformed continuing as a contour of the cover in the longitudinaldirection of the dosing container. In the longitudinal direction of thedosing container there is accordingly no discontinuity between the gripelements and the cover. Important too, with regard to the stiffening ofthe side walls the cover also has on its side walls, which are formedcorresponding to the side walls of the container, elevations, thecontour of which is continued by the grip elements.

The grip elements preferably protrude beyond a contact base, formed bythe shoulder element, for the cover. This contact base interacts withthe front of the cover on the container side. The elevations on thecover are formed inwardly offset in relation to the cover, so that thepart of the grip elements protruding beyond the contact base protrudesbeyond the phase boundary between the shoulder element and the coverwhilst transferring directly into the elevation. By extending the gripelements beyond the contact base the stiffening and restoration effectby the grip elements can be improved. The thickened material of the gripelements preferably continues on the container head, stiffening it, in aradial extension in relation to the inside of the container.

Depending on the desired dosing characteristic, the grip elements can bejoined to the side walls. The stiffening effect can however already beachieved if the grip elements are only assigned to the side wallswithout being directly joined to them. The stiffening effect of the gripelements then occurs when a user presses against externally located gripelements from the outside. Where the grip elements are formed separatelyfrom the film material, this offers the possibility of enabling the gripelements to separately pivot back into their initial position whenreleased without the tube in the region of the grip elements also beingsimultaneously extended and optionally drawing oxygen into the tube.

The grip elements are preferably provided with a surface designed toimprove the surface feel. The design of the surface to improve thesurface feel may include groove-shaped elevations, dimples or othersurface profiles.

The size of the side wall segments may vary depending on the purpose andthe definitive dimensioning of the dosing container. For example, theside wall segments may each have about half the width of the side wallso that the side folds touch or almost touch in the inside of the dosingcontainer when it is empty. With an embodiment of this nature the filledcontainer which has not yet been emptied has essentially a squarecross-sectional area. If rectangular cross-sectional areas are required,with the container completely empty the side folds are normally situatedinside, but spaced to one another.

Further details and advantages of the invention are given in thefollowing description of embodiments in conjunction with the drawing.This shows the following:

FIG. 1 a perspective side view of a first embodiment with the dosingcontainer closed;

FIG. 2 the embodiment shown in FIG. 1 in a plan view;

FIG. 3 the embodiment shown in FIGS. 1 and 2 with a view of the headend;

FIG. 4 the embodiment shown in FIGS. 1 to 3 in a side view;

FIG. 5 the embodiment shown in FIGS. 1 to 4 with the cover removed inthe empty state;

FIG. 6 the embodiment shown in FIGS. 3 to 5 in a plan view with thecover removed;

FIG. 7 the representation according to FIG. 6 in a view of the head end;

FIG. 8 a plan view of an alternative embodiment;

FIG. 9 the embodiment shown in FIG. 8 in a side view;

FIG. 10 the embodiment shown in FIGS. 8 and 9 in a view of the head end;

FIG. 11 a plan view of a third embodiment of the present invention;

FIG. 12 the embodiment shown in FIG. 11 in a view of the head end;

FIG. 13 the embodiment shown in FIGS. 11 and 12 in a side view;

FIG. 14 the embodiment shown in FIGS. 11 to 13 in a plan view with thecover removed;

FIG. 15 the representation according to FIG. 14 in a view of the headend;

FIG. 16 a plan view of a fourth embodiment;

FIG. 17 the embodiment shown in FIG. 16 in a view of the head end;

FIG. 18 the embodiment shown in FIGS. 16 and 17 in a side view;

FIG. 19 a plan view of the embodiment shown in FIGS. 16 to 18 with thecover removed;

FIG. 20 the representation according to FIG. 19 in a view of the headend;

FIG. 21 a plan view of a fifth embodiment of the dosing containeraccording to the invention;

FIG. 22 a longitudinal section of the head region of a sixth embodimentof the present invention;

FIG. 23 a longitudinal section of the head region of a seventhembodiment of the present invention; and

FIG. 24 a plan view of an eighth embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 1 illustrates a perspective side view of the first embodiment ofthe invention based on a dosing container 1 formed as a tubular package,comprising two oppositely situated side walls 2 and face-side walls 3connecting these side walls 2.

The side walls 2 are spaced and fixed in the region of a container head4 by a container head plate 5, which can be seen in FIG. 5 and fromwhich an outlet section 6 with an oval base area protrudes, which isformed slightly crowned, i.e. convex, and is provided with a collar 7perpendicular to the container head plate 5 to which it is joined.Centrally at the end, the outlet section 6 has an outlet nozzle 8protruding from it and forming the removal opening.

On the end 9 oppositely situated to the container head 4 the side walls2 are welded together and form a welded lug 10. The face-side wall 3terminates at the point at which the side walls 2 contact one another.The welded lug 10 can be formed stiffened and in each case may impart areinforced inwardly directed elastic deformation to the region of theside walls 2 in the vicinity of the end 9, through which the side walls2 are laid with their inner surfaces mutually adjacent.

As FIG. 4 illustrates, the face-side walls 3 are formed from segments11, 12, which are joined together by a side fold 13 provided within theenvelope surface. With the embodiment illustrated in FIGS. 1 to 5 theside fold 13 extends up to the end 9 where the side walls 2 and theface-side walls 3 are joined together at a point, in each case in theside view according to FIG. 4. In the region of the container head 4there is a gusset 15, initially branching off from an edge 14 delimitedby one of the side walls 2 and the tip 16 of which is in alignment withthe side fold 13. The side wall segments 11 branch off from the obliquesurfaces of the gusset 15. In the present case the gusset 15 has alength corresponding to 0.09 times the length of the dosing container 1.This length of the dosing container 1 is given by the spacing of thecontainer ends 9 and the container plate 5. In other words a cap 17 (cf.FIGS. 2, 7) forming the cover of the dosing container is not consideredin the determination of the total length of the dosing container. Thelength of the gusset can correspond to a length of 0.05 to 0.15,preferably 0.08 to 0.1 of the total length of the dosing container 1.

As can be seen for example from the illustration in FIG. 4, the sidewalls 2 in the region of the end 9 of the dosing container 1 remote fromthe removal opening 8 are formed essentially flat. With increasingproximity of the side walls 2 to the container head 4 this embodimentbecomes increasingly convex.

The cap 17 forms a standing surface when the dosing container 1 isplaced upright.

With increasing emptying of the dosing container by pressing theoppositely situated side walls 2 together the product contained in thecontainer 1 is discharged through the outlet nozzle 8 in a manner knownper se. In this connection a pasty or viscous product, such as forexample tomato purée, mustard, toothpaste or cream, is involved. Indoing this the side wall segments 11 lie with their internal surfacesagainst the inner side of the side walls 2. The outer surfaces of theoppositely situated side wall segments 11, 12 pivot about the side fold13 and lie mutually adjacent.

At the end of discharge the state as shown in FIG. 5 is reached inwhich, essentially without any remaining product, the oppositelysituated side walls 2 lie mutually adjacent with the inclusion of theside wall segments 11 which are folded inwards. Only the region of thegusset 15 is slightly raised up and merges from this flat section of thedosing container 1 to the container head plate 5, where the side walls 2are raised up and spaced from one another by the container head plate 5which extends at right angles to them.

With the embodiment illustrated in FIGS. 1 to 7 only the container headplate 5, extending at right angles to the longitudinal extension of thedosing container 1, is formed as the shoulder element 24 by means ofinjection moulding. In this shaping process the front ends of a filmmaterial 25 essentially forming the dosing container 1 are joined to thefusible plastic of the shoulder element 24 and sealed with it. The endsof the film material 25 can here be located in the plane extending atright angles to the longitudinal axis and thus in the region of thecontainer head plate 5. Also, as an alternative or supplement, it isconceivable that the plastic material of the shoulder element 24 isformed flowing over a certain length of the film material 25.

FIGS. 8 to 10 illustrate an alternative embodiment in which the gusset15 branches off from the end 9. Also in this embodiment the gusset 15extends inwards and meets the side fold 13 with its tip.

In contrast to the previous embodiment the welded lug 10 in the secondembodiment illustrated in FIGS. 8 to 10 is formed substantially longerand is penetrated by a hole 20 with which the dosing container 1 can besuspended on a sales display provided with a rod. Instead of acircumferentially completely closed hole, a tongue open at the side canalso be provided. In this sense a hole is taken to mean any receptaclewhich is suitable for suspending the container 1.

Based on the arrangement and embodiment of the gusset 15 in the secondembodiment illustrated in FIGS. 8 to 10, in the side view shown in FIG.9 a type of saddle-roof embodiment is produced initially at the end 9 ofthe dosing container, starting from the point 21 at which the side walls2 meet one another, whereby the gusset 15 brings the two side walls 2together essentially already at their maximum spacing.

As the side views shown in FIGS. 4 and 9 illustrate, the side walls 2are essentially flat, but can be bent slightly convexly outwards.Accordingly, a certain spacing is produced in the side view between theedge 14 and the outermost point of the side wall 3. At least with theembodiment illustrated in FIGS. 1 to 7 the curvature of the side walls 2in the region of the container head 4 corresponds to the contour of thecap 17. The tube can also be rectangular or square in cross-section.

With the embodiment in FIGS. 8 to 10 the cap 17 is smaller than thecontainer head plate 5, which in this embodiment protrudes slightlyoutwards and bears a cap collar 22 which protrudes beyond it, the collarbeing joined to the cap 17 by a film hinge 23.

With the embodiment illustrated in FIGS. 1 to 7 the side walls in theregion of the removal opening formed by the outlet nozzle 8 are formedslightly convex, whereas at the end 9 they are formed almost flat. Withthe embodiment illustrated in FIGS. 8 to 10 a similar picture isproduced, whereby however the curvature in the region of the removalopening is less predominant, but the convex curvature of the side walls2 is retained through to the welded lug 10, even though reduced.

FIGS. 11 to 15 illustrate a third embodiment of a dosing containeraccording to the invention. The same components here are also identifiedwith the same reference numerals as the previously discussedembodiments.

The embodiment illustrated in FIGS. 11 to 15 is in particularcharacterised by grip elements 26 attached to the oppositely situatedside walls 2 and in fact in the vicinity of the container head 4. Thegrip elements 26 each extend parallel to the side walls 2 and are formedby means of injection moulding during the manufacture of the shoulderelement 24 and have been joined to the side walls 2. The side walls 2are reinforced and stiffened in the vicinity of the container head bythese grip elements 26. As can be particularly seen in FIGS. 13 and 15,the grip element 26 in each case protrudes beyond the side wall 2 in theheight direction, i.e. transversely to the drawing plane according toFIG. 13. The grip elements 26 are formed essentially plate-shaped andare slightly curved in the circumferential direction of the dosingcontainer 1 (cf. FIG. 12). The end pointing away from the container head4 is formed semi-circular in shape. In the region of this end thetransverse ribs 27 are formed which improve the surface feel and whichprotrude outwards from the otherwise smooth surface of the grip element26.

The end of the grip elements 26 at the container head end protrudesbeyond a contact base 28 formed by the shoulder element 24 for the cap17. An elevation 29 with the curvature and extent of the grip element 26provided on the cap 17 is located directly adjacent to the grip element26 at the head end. The elevation 29 is provided in the region of thegrip element 26 accordingly offset with respect to the free cap end (cf.FIG. 11). The elevation 29 and the grip element 26 can have mutuallycorresponding end faces, so that with the cap 17 in place the gripelements 26 and therefore the side walls 2 are in each case held in acertain alignment in the region of the container head 4. In other wordsputting the cap 17 in place on the dosing container 1 supports thealignment of the side walls 2.

As can also be seen from FIG. 15, the enlargement forming the gripelement 26 also extends in the radial direction, i.e. transversely tothe longitudinal extension of the dosing container 1, by means of whichthe injection moulding of the shoulder element 24 and the joining of theshoulder element 24 to the film material 25 is simplified.

FIGS. 16 to 20 illustrate a fourth embodiment of a dosing containeraccording to the invention. The same components are identified with thesame reference numerals compared to the previous embodiments. Incontrast to the previously discussed embodiments the embodiment shown inFIGS. 16 to 20 has stiffening ribs 30 extending in the longitudinaldirection of the container and which protrude beyond the film material25 in the region of the side walls 2 and reinforce it. The stiffeningribs 30 can be attached to the film material 25 by means of ultrasonicwelding. Alternatively the stiffening ribs can be fitted on the filmmaterial by overmoulding onto the film material 25 together with theshoulder element 24 and joined to the film material 25. In this respect,for example, a gas pressure acting inside the dosing container 1 cankeep the container bloated with a relatively large volume so that onsolidifying the stiffening ribs 30 promote a restoration of the shape ofthe dosing container 1 to this initial state.

The stiffening ribs 30 extend over the total length of the dosingcontainer 1 and open out in the container reinforcement 31 containingthe hole and which extends transversely to the longitudinal direction ofthe container. Accordingly, the hole 20 is formed in a strengthenedregion of the dosing container 1.

The grip elements 26 are pivotable about an axis A with respect to thecontainer head plate 5 in order to promote a pumping movement of thegrip elements 26 through which material is dosed from the container 1(cf. FIGS. 11, 13, 15). This axis is in alignment with the contact base28, i.e. the outer surface of the container head plate 5.

As can be seen in FIGS. 17 and 20, the stiffening ribs 30 terminate atthe height of the cap 17. The cap 17 itself has no correspondingstiffening ribs 30. The stiffening ribs 30 are located on the edge ofthe side walls 2. Each of the side walls 2 has two stiffening ribs 30.

FIG. 21 illustrates an applicator which can be placed upon theembodiment shown in FIGS. 11 to 15. Here the applicator is shown withthe reference numeral 32 and is used for the planar application of thecontent of the dosing container. The applicator 32 comprises a deliverychannel 33 over which a spatula 34 protrudes. Material delivered out ofthe dosing container 1 is accordingly passed through the deliverychannel 33 to the spatula 34.

The applicator 32 has a mounting ring 35, over the inner circumferentialsurface of which a latching ring 36 protrudes, which interacts with alatching groove 37 formed by the shoulder element 24 in order to attachthe applicator 32 to the dosing container 1.

The previously discussed embodiment is only an example of thevariability, which the suggestion according to the inventionfacilitates, in which the shoulder element 24 is manufactured as aseparate component initially by means of injection moulding and isjoined to the film material. During injection moulding, for example,functional elements or applicators can be formed initially as one parton the shoulder element 24 by thin ridges which form predeterminedbreaking points. After joining the film material 25 and the shoulderelement 24, these applicators or additional elements are initiallyformed as single parts on the dosing container 1. In preparation for usethese further elements can be released by parting the predeterminedbreaking point and used in conjunction with the dosing container 1.

FIGS. 22 and 23 illustrate longitudinal sectional views through thecontainer head 4 and show the shoulder element 24, which is representedhatched in FIGS. 22, 23 and forms a mounting flange 38 projecting to theend 9, through which the joint between the film material 25 and theshoulder element 24 is made.

With the embodiment shown in FIG. 22 a valve element 39 is located inthe outlet nozzle 8 with a slit valve 40 closing the outlet opening andwhich is provided on a retention ring 41 that is a constituent part ofthe valve element 39. This valve element 39 can be joined to theshoulder element 24 by overmoulding. It is also conceivable to initiallyconsider the injection moulded embodiment of the valve element 39 andthe overmoulding of the valve element 39 with a second plasticcomponent, essentially forming the shoulder element 24. In this case thevalve element 39 is manufactured by two-component injection moulding.

With the embodiment illustrated in FIG. 23, the construction of whichessentially corresponds to the construction according to FIG. 22, avalve flap element 42 is provided to close the removal opening and whichis formed during the injection moulding of the shoulder element 24. Thevalve flap element 42 has a plurality of valve flaps which are linked tothe shoulder element 24 and joined to it by relatively thin walls.Therefore, the valve flap element 42 can be relatively easily removed inorder to access the content of the dosing container 1. An intact valveflap element 42 indicates the original state of the dosing container 1to the user.

The embodiments illustrated in the figures all have dosing containerswith an envelope surface having a rectangular cross-section. The sidewall segments 11, 12 are orientated inwards and are therefore locatedoutside of the envelope surface. Accordingly, the dosing containers 1can be stored relatively compact adjacent to one another and verticallyupright and offered for sale in cardboard packaging. In the illustratedembodiments the cap 17 forms a standing base for the upright dosingcontainers 1.

The material forming the container can be cardboard, composite material,laminate or film, in particular plastic film. With composite material amaterial is preferentially preferred, the inner layer of which is formedfrom a plastic film. In this way the inner surfaces of the materialforming the dosing container 1 can be welded together. The materialshould preferably have at least one plastic or cardboard layer whichlends a certain inherent stability to the container. Special restoringaction can be imparted to the plastic material so that the dosingcontainer automatically folds up as it is increasingly emptied. In anyevent the contouring should be such that the container shows norestoration after removal of product from the container 1, which woulddraw air into the container. The inherent stability is thus selectedsuch that the container exhibits no corresponding restoration with theremoval opening open and the side walls 2 released.

FIG. 24 illustrates a relatively simply arranged embodiment of a dosingcontainer 1 according to the invention. Here also, the main part of thecontainer 1 is produced from folded film material 25 formed to a tube bya longitudinal welded seam and welded at one end. The film material 25has a welded lug 10 at one end. At the other end of the initiallytubular manufactured film material 25 there is a shoulder element in theform of a shoulder ring 43. This shoulder ring 43 is adhesively bondedto the inner circumferential surface of the film material and has a basearea essentially corresponding to the base area of the previouslydescribed container head 4, so that the folded film material can beconnected to the shoulder ring 43 in the same manner as has beendescribed with reference to the previous embodiments. The shoulder ring43 has a slightly conical, inwardly sloping mounting section 44 to whichthe film material 25 is connected on one end. At the oppositely situatedend the mounting section 44 has in each case a nozzle 45 contoured tothe external circumferential surface protruding over it. The contouringon the external circumferential surface of the nozzle 45 correspondshere essentially to the inner circumferential surface of the supportingring 46 of an injection moulded end cap 47. Here, the end cap 47 onlyrepresents one example of an end closure of the dosing container 1.Depending on the definitive requirements, also other, preferablyinjection moulded elements can be mounted on the nozzle 45. In thisrespect the mounting is preferably realised by bonding onto the closingelement.

LIST OF REFERENCE NUMERALS

1 Dosing container

2 Side wall

3 Face-side wall

4 Container head

5 Container head plate

6 Outlet section

7 Collar

8 Outlet nozzle

9 End

10 Welded lug

11 Face-side wall segment

12 Face-side wall segment

13 Side fold

14 Edge

15 Gusset

16 Tip

17 Cap

18 Closing collar

19 Retaining edge

20 Hole

21 Joining point of the side walls 2

22 Cap collar

23 Film hinge

24 Shoulder element

25 Film material

26 Grip elements

27 Transverse ribs

28 Contact base

29 Elevation

30 Stiffening ribs

31 Container reinforcement

32 Applicator

33 Delivery channel

34 Spatula

35 Mounting ring

36 Latching ring

37 Latching groove

38 Mounting flange

39 Valve element

40 Slit valve

41 Retention ring

42 Valve flap element

43 Shoulder ring

44 Mounting section

45 Nozzle

46 Supporting ring

47 End cap

1. A dosing container for releasing, in a controlled manner, pasty orviscous product by manually pressing on the container, comprising: aclosable removal opening, wherein the container comprises two side wallswhich are arranged substantially parallel to each other and which areconnected to each other by two face-side walls, which comprises at leastone side fold through which the face-side walls are divided into atleast two face-side wall segments which can be laid against each otheror against the inside of the side walls, wherein the side walls abuteach other at an end at a distance from the removal opening and arepressed inward, characterised in that, the dosing container comprises afilm material which is connected to a shoulder element produced by ofinjection moulding and which forms a container head.
 2. The dosingcontainer according to claim 1, characterised in that stiffening ribsare on the side walls.
 3. The dosing container according to claim 2,characterised in that two stiffening ribs are provided on one of theside walls and at the edge.
 4. The dosing container according to claim2, characterised in that the stiffening ribs open out at their endremote from the removal opening in a container reinforcement extendingtransversely to the longitudinal direction.
 5. The dosing containeraccording to claim 1, characterised in that the shoulder element or thestiffening ribs are joined to the film material by overmoulding.
 6. Thedosing container according to claim 1, characterised in that theshoulder element or the stiffening ribs are joined to the film material(25) by welding.
 7. The dosing container according to claim 1,characterised by grip elements on both side walls which stiffen the filmmaterial at the container head end.
 8. The dosing container according toclaim 7, characterised in that the grip elements are formed as one pieceon the shoulder element.
 9. The dosing container according to claim 7,characterised in that the grip elements are joined to the side wallswith the film material.
 10. The dosing container according to claim 7,characterised in that the grip elements are continuously formed as acontour of a cover in the longitudinal direction of the dosingcontainer.
 11. The dosing container according to claim 7, characterisedin that the cover has elevations on its cover side walls formedcorresponding to the side walls of the container, the contour of theside-walls of the cover continuing through the grip elements.
 12. Thedosing container according to claim 11, characterised in that the gripelements protrude beyond a contact base for the cover formed by theshoulder element and that the elevations for accommodating thisprotruding part of the grip elements are formed inwardly with respect tothe container end of the cover and offset with respect to the contactbase.
 13. The dosing container according to claim 11, characterised inthat the grip elements are provided with a surface design which improvesthe surface feel.